Fine Arts seniors Lucy Heurich, Maeve
Griffin, Melissa Robbins, Leah Koontz and Veronica Perez are the latest Moore students to have their art
reviews published in the artblog,
Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof’s Philadelphia arts blog.

Each year, as part of Terri Saulin’s Critical Discourse class, Fallon and
Rosof visit with students and speak to them about how to observe and review
art. Afterwards, the students attend First Friday to write their own reviews to
be judged by Fallon and Rosof. The best review is then published in the artblog.

The experience is coordinated by Culture in the Classroom, a program at
Moore that helps link classroom experience with cultural opportunities and
professionals in the arts in Philadelphia.

This year, two students in particular – Melissa Robbins and Veronica Perez –
impressed Fallon and Rosof, and both their reviews were published last month.
But Fallon and Rosof decided to select three more students as well who showed promise.

“This year there were particularly good writing samples and Roberta and
Libby were also in a transitional phase with things they wanted to do on the
artblog,” Saulin said.

"I had an idea about expanding coverage on the artblog by
introducing audio reviews and essays and other new material," Fallon added.

Over the past month, the five students have been meeting with Saulin and Fallon
before class to discuss story ideas and receive writing assignments. Last week,
the students were given official artblog
Press Passes to attend exhibitions or events of their choosing.

“These students are savvy writers and they go out and look at a lot of
things and are pretty interested in participating in the scope of things beyond
their studios and in Philadelphia, so this [writing for the artblog] is a pretty good fit,” Saulin said. “…I’m sure the
students are speaking better of their own work in the process and learning a
lot of critical thinking skills.”

“Not only am I a published writer on an internationally read arts blog, but it
has helped me with my writing skills here at Moore,” she said.

She has two other articles planned -- one about the KAWS show at the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and whatever she decides to review from First
Friday on December 6.

Leah Koontz has reviewed two exhibitions and said it “feels amazing” to be a
published writer.

“The artblog has a great
reputation and it’s an incredible opportunity,” she said. “I’m still shocked at
how much value Roberta places on our opinions and Terri is spectacular for
arranging this. I’m so grateful to have such supportive and enthusiastic mentors.”